One advantage of a scratchstock over a beader (I have used both), is that the scratchstock can be either pushed or pulled to conform to the direction of the grain. The beaders have tilted cutters so that you can only push them. If the grain is against you or changes, you must reverse the fence accurately to be able to go in the other direction.
For small detail work, I just use a 2X1X1 inch block of wood with a back saw kerf cut perpendicular to the long axis (halfway through the stock). I shape a cutter (strapping steel is great), then tap it into the kerf with a hammer. This is tight enough that the tool can be used and set aside and used again. These small scratch stocks are excellent for cutting very small beads or other profiles and also for cutting grooves in the workpiece for inlaying stringing, etc.
For larger scratchstock, I cut an L-shaped piece of wood (looks like a gun in profile!). The stock piece is about 2X3X3/4". Bandsaw a kerf down the length of the bar (long part of the L) and halfway into the handle (short part of the L). Drill a 1/4" hole in the bar and one in the handle, appropriately spaced. Use 1" carriage bolts (1/4 X 20 tpi) and windnuts with washers. The hole in the bar is enough to lock in the cutter, but if you have the cutter shifted in from the handle (fence), then the other carriage bolt will help to tighten the cutter in. It helps to bevel the bottom edges of the bar as much as possible so that when you tilt the scratchstock during use, the thickness of the body will not interfer with the cutter action.
It is difficult to cut large moldings with a scratchstock since the ergonomics are a bit off, and also it is difficult to cut an even profile at either end of the workpiece since the "sole" of the scratchstock is so short. If possibl eit is useful to work on longer stock and cut it to dimensions afterwards. Alternatively, use a molding plane. If you do need to use scratchstock to make a profile, dry to "break" the molding profile into its components, and use a rabbet plane and blockplane to remove as much material outside the profile as possible. The scratchstock is then used to refine the shape with a lot less effort.
Preston (an English company) made a whole range of hand routers for cutting moldings in curved work. Their routers had two mirror image profiles side by side, so that you could reverse the tool where the grain changes (as in round frames or tops), and still get the exact same cut. Very nifty. I have not seen these offered in the US at antique sales, but GB sellers on Ebay sometimes offer them. Years ago I bouight about 25 of these for about $25 apiece, but now they go for $70-100 each. Maybe that will be my retirement plan!
Does anyone use a scratch stock for beading? I would like to add a bead to the hall table I'm working on and need to make a scratch stock that will handle curved pieces. I'm mostly concerned with the holder. If you have one, will you post a picture of it so I can see how to make one?
